Feed-grinder.



*No. 871,176. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

B. E. MoGARGAR. FEED GRINDER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11.1906.

Quorum Hg-L New v- 1'12: ccv, WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. MCCARGAR, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO EDGARH. MERRIAM, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, AND ONE-FOURTH TO ROBERT F. SMITH,OF OMAHA,

NEBRASKA.

FEED-GRINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

Application filed August 11. 1906- Serial No. 330246.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. MCCARGAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Grinders, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feed grinders.

One object is to provide a feed grinder particularly adapted tosupersede the old and well known bur grinder.

Another object resides in the provision of a feed grinder involving arotatable cylinder and a traveling apron.

A still further object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable andellicient grinder embodying such characteristics that it may be adjustedto grind the feed in different courses.

It is still further designed to provide a structure of the nature statedembodying such characteristics that it may be readily thrown into andout of operation, and when in operation to overcome rigidity of theapron with respect to the cylinder to prevent undue jarring or sluggingof the grinding mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appendedclaims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form,proportion, size and minor details without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention or sacriilicing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of. the invention; Fig. 2is a transverse sectional view; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofthe eccentric shaft, one of the guide plates and the operating lever;Fig. i is 'a detail view of one of the cylinder grinding slats; Fig. 5is a plan view of one of the slat connectingplates; Fig. 6 is an edgeview of one of said plates; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a modifiedform of knife-bar; and Fig. 8 is an end view of the modified form ofknife-bar.

Referring now more particularly to the ac companying drawings thereference characters l and 2 indicate uprights, it being understood thatthere are such uprights upon each side of the machine. However, at theoutset it is to be understood that any form of frame may be employed andthat I am illustrating and describing the present form of frame merelyto disclose the operation of my invention. .I also illustrate a casing 4arranged within the frame to inclose the grinding mechanism and toprevent the feed dropping off the sides of the apron of the grindingmechanism hereinafter fully described.

Journaled through the posts 2 at one end of the frame, and also throughthe casing is a drive shaft 5 provided at one end with a driving pulley6 and at its opposite end with a beveled gear 7 for a purpose presentlyexplained.

Mounted upon the drive shaft 5 are three circular heads 8, 9 and 10designed to form part of a grinding cylinder made into a completecylinder thereby and the slats 1 1 bolted to the heads by countersunkbolts 12 or other suitable fastenings. These plates are thereforereplaceable or interchangeable and each has its outer face ribbed, orotherwise formed to provide the knife edges 18 preferably of cup shape,as shown. These circular heads, just referred to, are preferably madesufficiently heavy as to preclude the necessity of a fly-wheel.

Cooperating with the grinding cylinder is an endless apron 14 supportedupon the three rollers 15, 16 and 17 .mounted upon the respective shafts18, 19 and 20.

1t will be seen that the rollers 16 and 17 are so disposed with respectto the grinding cylinder as to cause the apron to drop and follow thelower portion of the cylinder. This apron is made up of a series ofclose litting slats 21, each having its outer face provided with theknife edges similar to the knife edges of the cylinder, save that theformer are finer; that is, closer together to insure proper grinding ofthe feed. These plates are secured together in such manner as to providea flexible apron, one form of means being to secure a plate 22 at eachend of each slat 21 and providing each plate 22 with a slot 23 and atongue 24, the tongue of each plate engaging in the slot of the nextadjacent plate. These plates form an endless chain connection upon eachside of the apron to guide the latter over the rollers 15, 16 and 17 andto consequently carry the toothed slats of the apron into and out ofmesh with the knife bars of the grinding cylinder. The

apron is of greater width than the length of the cylinder and theconnecting plates pass not over the cylinder but outside of oppositeends of the latter.

It will now be understood that by driving the drive shaft the grindingcylinder will be revolved and in order to drive the apron I provide theshaft 18 with a gear Wheel 25 designed to mesh with a worm gear 26carried at one end of the shaft 27 whose opposite end is designed toconnect with the shaft 28 carrying the beveled gear 29 in mesh with theaforesaid beveled gear 7 of the drive-shaft. By reason of the worm gearmeshing with the gear 25, the apron is caused to travel at less speedthan the speed attained by the cylin der. It will be seen that theshafts 27 and 28 form practically a single shaft, in that there is aclutch 30 adapted to connect them.

By operating this clutch 30 the shafts 27 and 28 may be connectedtogether to operate the cylinder and apron simultaneously, or the clutchmay be operated to disconnect said shafts whereby the cylinder may berotated independently of the apron, the latter being thrown out ofoperation by such disconnection of said' shafts.

There are times when the feed is to be ground or pulverized finer thanat other times. I therefore provide" a guide for the apron and disposethe same immediately beneath the cylinder and arranged so that it andthe apron may be adjusted toward and away from the cylinder. The guideconsists preferably of two curved plates 31 each having a groove 32 inone face and ears 33 and 34 at its ends; These guide plates are eachsupported at one end by a bolt 35 having connection at one end with theear 33 thereof with its opposite end passed through a perforation in thelugs 36 and 36 secured to the corresponding sides of the casing, therebeing a spring 37 carried by each bolt 35 between the nuts 36 and 36 toplace the corresponding bolt and end of guide under tension, and thetension of the guides may be adjusted by manipulation of the nuts. Tosupport the opposite ends of the guide plates, I preferably mount thecranks 38 of the transverse shaft 39 in the corresponding ears 34. Thisshaft 39 is journaled through the said ears 34 the casing and the frameof the structure and provided at one end with a ratchet wheel 40 and anoperating lever 41 provided with a pawl 42 to engage the ratchet andprevent backward movement of the shaft 39 and its cranks when turned toraise or lower the guide to throw the apron toward or away from thecylinder. Other forms of eccentrics and operating means for the shaft 39may be employed, if desired.

The roller 15- is slightly higher than the roller 16 so that the feedplaced upon the apron will be carried downwardly by the lat ter to thecylinder to be crushed between the apron'and cylinder and carried by theformer from therebet'ween and the cylinder to and over the roller 20where it may drop in its ground or crushed state into a suitablereceptacle (not shown).

It will now be understood that my invention embodies principally arotary cylinder and an apron, both carrying knives or other means forgrinding the feed, with the cylinder rotating at a higher speed than thespeed attained by the apron. Such speed regulation prevents sticking ofthe feed between the grinding elements.

If desired, I may employa slat 43 provided with knife blades 44 (seeFigs. 7 and 8) which can be used on'the grinder as an attachment forchopping beets or corn fodder, and further, if desired, I may employ aspring bearing 45 for the eccentric shaft 39, there being such abearing, if used, at each end of said shaft.

.What is claimed is 1. A feed grinder comprising a frame, a cylinderrotatably mounted in the frame, an endless apron mounted in the framefor cooperation with the cylinder, guides mounted in the frame beneaththe cylinder to guide the apron, a spring actuated rod connecting oneend of each guide, a shaft rotatably mounted in the opposite end of eachguide and provided with cranks for engagement with the apron to move thelatter toward and away from the cylinder upon rotation of said shaft,and means for operating the cylinder and apron.

2. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder provided withremovable knife slats, a traveling apron provided with removable knifeslats, and means for yieldably and adjustably supportingithe apronbeneath the cylinder.

3. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder provided with. knifeslats, a traveling apron provided with knife slats, means for yieldablysupporting the apron at one side of the cylinder, and means at theopposite side of the cylinder to adjust the apron toward and away fromthe cylinder.

4. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder provided withremovable knife slats, a traveling apron provided with removable knifeslats, oppositely disposed guide members arranged beneath the cylindereach provided with a curved groove to receive the edges of the apron,means at one end of each guide member to yieldably sup port it, andmeans at the opposite ends of the guidemembers to adjust them toward andaway from the cylinder.

5. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder provided withremovable knife slats, a traveling apron provided with removable knife-slats, oppositely disposed guide members arranged beneath the cylindereach provided with a curved groove to receive the edges of the apron,means at one end of each guide member to yieldably support it, means atthe opposite ends of the guide members to adjust them toward and awayfrom the cylinder, and means for moving the cylinder at a higher speedthan the apron.

6. A feed grinder comprising a frame, a rotatable drive shaft mounted inthe frame and carrying a beveled gear at one end, a cylinder mountedupon the shaft, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, atraveling apron cooperating with the cylinder and working around saidsecond shaft, a two-part shaft arranged at a right angle to theaforesaid shafts, one part of the two part shaft carrying worm gear formesh with the gear of said second shaft and the other of the two-partshaft carrying a beveled gear for mesh with the beveled gear of thedrive shaft and a clutch member connecting the adjacent ends of thetwopart shaft.

7. A feed grinder comprising a frame, a rotatable drive shaft mounted inthe frame and. carrying a beveled gear at one end, a cylinder mountedupon the shaft, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, atraveling apron cooperating with the cylinder and working around saidsecond shaft, a two-part shaft arranged at a right angle to theaforesaid shafts, one part of the twopart shaft carrying a worm gear formesh with the gear of said second shaft and the other of the two-partshaft carrying a beveled gear for mesh with the beveled gear of thedrive shaft, a clutch member connecting the adjacent ends of thetwo-part shaft, and guide members beneath the cylinder for the guidanceof the apron.

8. A feed grinder comprising a frame, a rotatable drive shaft mounted inthe frame and carrying a beveled gear at one end, a cylinder mountedupon the shaft, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a

guide members beneath the cylinder for the guidance of the apron, andmeans for yieldably supporting the guide members.

9. A feed grinder comprising a frame, a rotatable drive shaft mounted inthe frame and c rrying a beveled gear at one end, a cylinder mountedupon the shaft, a second shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, atraveling apron cooperating with the cylinder and working around saidsecond shaft, a two-part shaft arranged at a right angle to theaforesaid shafts, one part of the twopart shaft carrying a worm gear formesh with the of said second. shaft and the other of the two-part shaftcarrying a beveled gear for mesh with the beveled gear of the driveshaft, a clutch member connecting the adjacent ends of the two-partshaft, guide members beneath the cylinder for the guidance of the apron,means at one end of the guide members to yieldably support them, andmeans at the opposite ends of the guide members to adjustably supportthem.

10. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder provided with knifeslats, a traveling apron provided with knife slats, means for yieldablysupporting the apron at one side of the cylinder, means at the oppositeside of the cylinder to adjust the apron toward and away from thecylinder, and means for moving the cylinder at a greater speed than theapron.

11. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder, a traveling apron,means for yieldably and adjustably supporting the apron beneath thecylinder, means for moving the cylinder at a higher rate of speed thanthe apron, and means whereby the cylinder may be rotated independentlyof the apron.

12. A feed grinder comprising a rotatable cylinder, a traveling aproncoi'iperating with the cylinder, means for operating the apron and thecylinder simultaneously, and means whereby the cylinder may be operatedindependently of the apron.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

Elia [ER E. MQCARGAR.

Witnesses:

BnRNIon BnnsoN, E. F. SNAVELY.

